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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · toast · root · object · lie · pitch · stand · land

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. object — a thing
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. root — of a plant
  6. toast — bread
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. land — to come down
  10. pitch — completely
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. root — the cause
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — of a word
  16. object — to protest
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — an aim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com